Air Conditioning Solutions
In the summer months, your home can start to swelter, and a fan may not be enough. Luckily, there are many air conditioning solutions to consider. Regardless of your home and budget, there is a great solution for you. If you would like to know more, check out these four air conditioning options.
Window Units
Window units are the most affordable option, but they only cool one room. Plus, you need to make sure you buy the right sized unit for the room's size. Window units, however, can be cheap to run, especially because you can easily only use them when you need them. With portable window units, you can even move them to different rooms or store them during the cooler months.
Central Air Conditioning
If you want a whole-home solution, forget the window units and consider central air conditioning. Central air conditioning is incredibly effective, but it isn't the most efficient option, which can affect your energy bills.
The system uses the same ductwork that forced-air furnaces use. For this reason, before having the system installed, consider having the ducts cleaned and repaired to boost efficiency. Central air conditioning is more costly than a window unit, but they are cheaper than other options unless you need to install ducts.
Heat Pump
A heat pump also uses ducts to move cooled air around the home, but they are more energy efficient. An air-source heat pump, however, may not be as effective at cooling your home. Geothermal heat pumps are more expensive, but they are more effective because they use energy from the ground to cool your space.
Unlike window units and central air conditioning, your heat pump, as the name suggests, can also be used to warm the house efficiently. The system works by moving air. To cool your home, it pumps cooled air inside the home from the outside air/ground, and it pumps heated air from inside the home to the outside.
Mini-Split System
If you want a whole-home solution but don't have ducts, ask about a mini-split system. These systems are expensive but efficient. Plus, they allow for zoned cooling, which can be used to better boost efficiency. Like a heat pump, a mini-split system can also be used to heat the home.
With a mini-split system, you have multiple indoor units and one exterior unit. Unfortunately, these indoor units can be a little unsightly, but since they don't rely on ducts, they don't lose as much air as solutions that require ducts. According to Energy Star, about 20 to 30 percent of the air in the ducts is lost before it reaches you, which wastes a lot of dollars.
Contact an air conditioning services provider to learn more.
